Betta'sAnonymous 45 gallon build

Ok, so, not going to actually set this up til after the Christmas tree is down...but we been a bit busy the last couple of days.

Couple years ago i bought a 45 gal tank and stand for my wife, as she wanted room for her platies. Trouble is, she is short and the tank is not, so after about 5 or 6 months of getting absolutely soaked everytime she did a water change, i was instructed to tear it down. So, a little over a year later, i decide i am going to set it back up, with one major condition: NO LIVEBEARERS ALLOWED!!

So here goes:
Yesterday


Today, after cleaning inside, and a gravel vac:


Found some driftwood i liked!


Tannins, anyone?

 

Following!

 

Following!

 

The worst part...today was the first time i have ever seen peacock gudgeons in any store around here...4 of them, 2 males, 2 females...which i want badly in this tank....but i have nowhere to put them yet!! I kind of cursed the aquatics manager at Petco for showing me them...he knows i want them!!

 

Been about 22 hrs since i changed the water, just over 48 hrs of soaking....tannins thinning out noticeably.

 

Hoping my Eheim 200-watt heater arrives soon. And hopefully not shattered like the last one i ordered...

 

I also get soaked while water changing. Oh, the woes of being vertically impaired...

 

I also get soaked while water changing. Oh, the woes of being vertically impaired...

Gotta say i did feel bad for her in wintertime. And she even used a chair!

 

Nothing much this week. Still soaking the driftwood. My Eheim did come in, though! Now i finally have all the equipment ready to go. Now the wait...

 

following!

 

Gotta say i did feel bad for her in wintertime. And she even used a chair!

How high is the tank? And how short is she?

 

How high is the tank? And how short is she?

The tank itself is 24 inches tall. On the stand....would have to measure, but close to 48 inches tall i would reckon. She is 61" tall. I am 75" tall.

 

The tank itself is 24 inches tall. On the stand....would have to measure, but close to 48 inches tall i would reckon. She is 61" tall. I am 75" tall.

I am 63" tall and my tank is 54" high on the stand. With a little foot stool I can look into the tank and work without getting soaked.
Which task is getting you soaked? It is too bad because it is a nice sized tank.

 

I am 63" tall and my tank is 54" high on the stand. With a little foot stool I can look into the tank and work without getting soaked.
Which task is getting you soaked? It is too bad because it is a nice sized tank.

I have no problems with it. I even have a rather lengthy vac tube for the gravel. She had to get on a dining chair to actually vac the gravel good. Tank went up to her armpit. I don't know how she got so soaked. But she usually stripped down to a tank top and it always ended up soaked.

 

I have no problems with it. I even have a rather lengthy vac tube for the gravel. She had to get on a dining chair to actually vac the gravel good. Tank went up to her armpit. I don't know how she got so soaked. But she usually stripped down to a tank top and it always ended up soaked.

This is me... I feel her pain, hahha!

 

This is me... I feel her pain, hahha!

I never complained

But it was quite fun to wash dishes or something and hearing her swear up a storm

 

I have no problems with it. I even have a rather lengthy vac tube for the gravel. She had to get on a dining chair to actually vac the gravel good. Tank went up to her armpit. I don't know how she got so soaked. But she usually stripped down to a tank top and it always ended up soaked.

I bet it is fun to watch , warm water fish are the solution.....and lots of towels because 12 inch tanks are just boring.

 

I bet it is fun to watch , warm water fish are the solution.....and lots of towels because 12 inch tanks are just boring.

Well...based on what i think is going in the temp will be about 78-79....

 

Well...based on what i think is going in the temp will be about 78-79....

So it is just perfect....Are the Peacock Gudgeons still around?

 

So it is just perfect....Are the Peacock Gudgeons still around?

Nah, petco was out of them today. Which is OK, as all i wanted was some suction cups to replace those horrible aqueon heater suction cups.

 

I think today i will finish installing a shelf on the inside of the stand. Probably put a couple of hooks inside the doors as well to hang some fishnets on. Lord knows we can use the storage and organization for the fish accessories in the house!

 

Well...the shelf is finished! Also the hooks. I find those Command hooks from 3M work rather well for hanging nets. Also very easy to put on the inside of a stand door or something.

 

Ordered some meds today such as General Cure, Ich-X and a new bottle of API Tap Water conditioner. Realized i had nothing at all on hand for possible quarantine use!

 

Thinking i am going to have to move my bucket where the driftwood is soaking. Wife was complaining about "i see that groas bucket is still out there." So, guess after i change the water in it, it will go off to the garage. She just doesn't get it, sometimes.

 

Its not going to freeze is it?

 

Thin layer of ice on top. All liquid where the wood is.

 

Woot!! Conditioner and meds already here....not too shabby for peak delivery season!

 

Thinking it would be nice to get some sunshine again. Kind of hoping some algae grows on my driftwood while it's soaking before i put it in the tank. Then i would feel better about getting my BN pleco sooner.

 

Thinking it would be nice to get some sunshine again. Kind of hoping some algae grows on my driftwood while it's soaking before i put it in the tank. Then i would feel better about getting my BN pleco sooner.

BN eat algae? Huh....Mine eats food. Wafers Veggies etc.

 

BN eat algae? Huh....Mine eats food. Wafers Veggies etc.

I dunno....the snails will like it though. Thinking snails will probably go in the tank first anyway to help with the seeded material gonna be in there. Afraid i may have to order some of the fish i want and that might not be do-able for awhile depending on the weather.

 

Finally moved the driftwood bucket to the garage. A few too many "i can still see that gross bucket outside" quips lol

 

Well dang, setting this tank up is now on an indefinite standby. Wife threw a fit a couple weeks ago because i was doing a water change and she was doing something else and we were often in each others way, declared "no more pets with fins, scales, shells or fur", so now i gotta let that blow over. Meanwhile, i smuggled a new snail into the house today....

 

Haven't posted here in awhile. Tank setup still on standby. Did order a new, quieter air pump today for this tank. Still have driftwood soaking/freezing in the garage. Got to check the bucket this weekend and see if that water finished melting. Thinking about taking the gravel out thats already in the tank and replacing with black sand. Maybe replace the background with plain black as well. Always something to do!

 

That is too sad, you were on a role with that tank. Hope you will pick up steam in the next couple of weeks...

 

That is too sad, you were on a role with that tank. Hope you will pick up steam in the next couple of weeks...

The weather certainly didn't help. The biggest hold up is a)not 100% sure where to put it and b)wife kind of placed a moratorium on my buying fish...

 

Went out to the garage today, the ice that was in the bucket my driftwood has been soaking in has finally melted. Talk about tannins galore!! Changed out the water and cleaned the bucket up a bit. See how much more leeches out.

 

Got my new air pump yesterday. That Whisper has been relegated to back-up duties now.

 

I thought the 60 whisper was crazy loud.

 

its been demoted

 

I thought the 60 whisper was crazy loud.

Maybe my house is louder in general!

its been demoted

If i was an NFL team, it would be released to free up salary cap space.